diff --git a/IPython/core/magic.py b/IPython/core/magic.py
index 9c109a8..539656c 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magic.py
@@ -3550,11 +3550,11 @@ Defaulting color scheme to 'NoColor'"""
         interrupts should work without any problems.  The following toolkits
         are supports:  wxPython, PyQt4, PyGTK, and Tk::
 
-            %gui wx    # enable wxPython event loop integration
-            %gui qt4   # enable PyQt4 event loop integration
-            %gui gtk   # enable PyGTK event loop integration
-            %gui tk    # enable Tk event loop integration
-            %gui       # disable all event loop integration
+            %gui wx      # enable wxPython event loop integration
+            %gui qt4|qt  # enable PyQt4 event loop integration
+            %gui gtk     # enable PyGTK event loop integration
+            %gui tk      # enable Tk event loop integration
+            %gui         # disable all event loop integration
 
         WARNING:  after any of these has been called you can simply create
         an application object, but DO NOT start the event loop yourself, as
@@ -3576,7 +3576,7 @@ Defaulting color scheme to 'NoColor'"""
             inputhook.clear_inputhook()
         elif 'wx' in parameter_s:
             return inputhook.enable_wx(app)
-        elif 'qt4' in parameter_s:
+        elif ('qt4' in parameter_s) or ('qt' in parameter_s):
             return inputhook.enable_qt4(app)
         elif 'gtk' in parameter_s:
             return inputhook.enable_gtk(app)
diff --git a/IPython/lib/inputhook.py b/IPython/lib/inputhook.py
index f7144c7..d2603a0 100644
--- a/IPython/lib/inputhook.py
+++ b/IPython/lib/inputhook.py
@@ -26,6 +26,31 @@ def _dummy_mainloop(*args, **kw):
     pass
 
 
+def spin_qt4():
+    from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
+
+    app = QtCore.QCoreApplication.instance()
+    if app is not None and app.thread == QtCore.QThread.currentThread():
+        timer = QtCore.QTimer()
+        QtCore.QObject.connect(timer,
+                               QtCore.SIGNAL('timeout()'),
+                               QtCore.SLOT('quit()'))
+        self.timer.start(100)
+        QtCore.QCoreApplication.exec_()
+        timer.stop()
+
+
+def spin_wx():
+    app = wx.GetApp()
+    if app is not None and wx.Thread_IsMain():
+        evtloop = wx.EventLoop()
+        ea = wx.EventLoopActivator(evtloop)
+        while evtloop.Pending():
+            evtloop.Dispatch()
+        app.ProcessIdle()
+        del ea
+
+
 class InputHookManager(object):
     """Manage PyOS_InputHook for different GUI toolkits.
 
@@ -203,7 +228,7 @@ class InputHookManager(object):
         self._hijack_qt4()
         if app:
             from PyQt4 import QtGui
-            app = QtGui.QApplication.instance()
+            app = QtCore.QCoreApplication.instance()
             if app is None:
                 app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
                 self._apps['qt4'] = app